Ahead of Tuesday’s matchup against Los Angeles, Utah announced on Twitter that Mike Conley would not play in Game 1 because of a right hamstring strain.
Conley exited the team’s series-clinching Game 5 against the Grizzlies last Wednesday and, according to a report from ESPN, he was a limited participant during practice Monday.
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Conley has been a consistent presence for Utah during the playoffs, scoring 20-plus points in each of his team’s first three games against the Grizzlies and totaling at least seven assists in each game. This postseason, he has averaged 17.4 points, 3.8 rebounds and a team-high 8.6 assists per game.
This is not the first time during the 2020-21 season that hamstring injuries have affected Conley. In ESPN’s report, it said Conley was out for six games in February and nine late in April and May with right hamstring tightness.
In his second campaign with Utah since coming over from Memphis, Conley averaged 16.2 points, 6.0 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.37 steals per game. He started all 51 games in which he appeared and has been an integral part of the team’s defense.
